You wont get rid of me that easily
by Okiony
Summary: An easy mission goes terribly wrong and lives are put on the line... (Ya ok i'm bad at summaries... Just read! ) One-Shot - Rated T for some blood splatter


The old barn stood on the verge of crumbling at the end of the burned field. The place must have been beautiful before, with its stream running down the side of the farm and the bright colored house resting atop of a little hill, looming over the once fertile field. The blackened residues of what must have been pumpkins littered the bare soil that resembled an open gash, bleeding under the harsh sun. Ayano's nose wrinkled as the smell of smoke enveloped their group. She was used to the smell of burnt things, but this one was too dark, evil. Kazuma landed not far from the barn and Ayano and Ren stepped out of his arms. The first thing the hit them was the black aura that surrounded the barn. The old wooden structure that seriously needed a new paint job was practically glowing. Out of habit, Ayano summoned Enraiha, lifting the sword protectively in front of her. Ren took an offensive stance and without moving, Kazuma scanned the place.

- Youma, powerful, he informed the others.

Ayano's lips stretched into a daring smile and Ren's hands turned into fists, a red glow already emanating from both of them.

- This should be fun, said Ayano as her sword suddenly burst into flames.

Kazuma couldn't help but smile at her eagerness. Ayano took off running and Ren followed her after getting an approving nod from his older brother. Kazuma lifted into the air, hands stuffed into is jean pockets, and circled the place, sticking to the plan of closing in on the Yuma from each side. As he landed on the opposite side, he blew the door open on and nonchalantly walked into the dark barn, kicking the dust with his foot. He saw a red dot rapidly grow at the other extremity of the barn and soon the whole door had turned to ashes. Ayano stood in its place, Enraiha in her hand, looking like a fiery angel as the sun poured in through the new opening, bathing her in a bright light.

- Very subtle! Kazuma yelled to her.

She sent him a look that would have frozen anyone on the spot and walked out of the halo of light and into the dark building, chin lifted proudly. Kazuma had to hold back a laugh, but the corners of his lips still lifted into a sly smile. Ren walked in behind Ayano, shaking his head in a hopeless manner towards the two. Would they ever stop bickering? Kazuma's smile died on his lips when a black figured appeared behind Ren who was still standing in the sun.

- Ren! He yelled, trying to alert his brother of the youma behind him.

Ren lifted his head, a questioning expression on his face, but it was too late. The youma charged towards Ren, both ghostly hands outstretched towards the boy. Kazuma gathered the surrounding wind spirits as fast as he could and shot a wind blade towards the youma. The wind cut through the monster at the same moment as black snake-like tendrils left its hands. Ren, shocked from what had happened, was frozen on the spot, eyes wide and mouth open. The youma dissolved into black dust but the tendrils where still moving towards Ren. Kazuma started to gather the wind spirits again, but he wasn't fast enough. The tendrils were about to touch the frightened boy when a blur of scarlet hair tackled Ren to the ground. They both rolled in the dust, away from the black snakes. Kazuma finished gathering the wind spirits and threw a few more wind blades, finishing off the tendrils. He drew a breath and rushed over to Ren and Ayano. Ren was on his back, dazed at what had just happened and Ayano was on her knees, catching her breath, Enraiha lying beside her.

- You alright? Kazuma asked Ren, offering him a hand.

Ren took it gratefully and his brother pulled him to his feet.

- I'm fine; I just don't understand how the youma snuck up on me. We were supposed to close in on it… He answered pensively.

Kazuma smiled warmly at his brother, a smile only Ren could get.

- Don't worry, it's dead now, you'll have plenty of time to figure it out, Kazuma said encouragingly.

Kazuma then looked over to Ayano who was still on her knees, looking at the dust covered ground of the barn.

- Ayano, come on! We have to get back and give our report to Jugo, he called over his shoulder, already walking towards the door.

He was trying to get her started so she would hurry up, maybe get her a little feisty and flame up. He loved it when he could get her annoyed.

- Ayano! He called again, this time stopping and turning back towards the girl.

She was still on the ground, looking at the floor. At first he was annoyed, but when he saw Ren's horrified expression, his heart sank in his chest.

- Ayano?

The girl slowly got to her feet, Enraiha in hand, backing up slowly. Her eyes where focused on a black mass forming on the ground of the barn. The dust into which the youma had turned was gathering in once same place, pilling up, reforming. Ayano's back hit Kazuma's chest, stopping her in her tracks. He set his hands on her trembling shoulders. She was never scared like this. He was about to open his mouth to ask when the dust fully formed, but this time it wasn't a youma, it was…

- Bernhardt, spat Kazuma.

- Why hello again, their enemy replied in a cheerful manner that only accentuated their hatred towards the man.

The last parcels of black dust found their place on Bernhardt's eyebrow and he smiled, dusting invisible specks of dirt off his red cape.

- Not really my type of place, but I'm sure we can manage to make your deaths seem in the slightest fantastic even though the poor décor, Bernhardt said, examining the barn.

Ayano clutched Enraiha in her hand so tightly, her knuckles turned white. She just wanted to melt that metal mask on his face and make him feel the pain and suffering he had inflicted them. Kazuma could already picture Bernhardt cut to pieces and feed to a demon like he had done Cui ling.

That's when Lapis appeared.

Kazuma's breath caught in his throat, but he made sure it did not show on his face. Lapis was standing there and it was not for the gigantic sword she was holding in one hand, Kazuma would have been fooled into thinking it was his lost love. His fists clenched and his teeth gritted together. Bernhardt smiled mischievously.

- Ah Lapis, how nice of you to join us, Bernhardt exclaimed, now we can begin…

He threw his hands in the air as though throwing a quarter, but the terrible deadly look in his eyes sent a shiver down Ren's spine. Bernhardt knew on which side the cent would fall.

Lapis leapt forwards, raising her enormous sword. Ayano jumped, holding Enraiha tightly. Both swords met half way with a monumental clash. They both jumped apart, Ayano already breathing hard, but this wasn't about to finish. They lunged at each other again. A bright light would flash every time the swords would meet. Lapis would swing and Ayano would dodge and then counter. Flames throwing themselves at their opponent as she countered with a cold, hard, unreadable expression. Ayano lunged once more, rage burning in her veins as Enraiha missed Lapis by a hair. The Cui ling imitation swung with an incredible ease for such a heavy sword. Ayano jumped back, the tip of the sword missing her by an inch. A strong gust of wind pushed her even farther back and she looked up to see Kazuma standing between her and Lapis.

- What on earth do you think you are doing Kazuma? She yelled above the sound of the wind.

- Protecting you and Ren, he said as the winds formed a tornado around the contractor.

- Are you completely out …

Ayano's words where swallowed by the wind and she took a few step back, shielding her face with her free arm from the debris that was going flying around the barn. A Machiavellian chuckle brought Ayano's attention back to Bernhardt who was standing at the end of the barn, a smug expression on his face.

- You little…

Ayano didn't finish that she lunged at him, body surrounded by the flames of anger and hatred. She lifted her sword and swung only to hit air. The scarlet haired girl turned around swiftly. Bernhardt had disappeared, and so had Ren.

- Ren! She yelled at the top of her lungs as fear washed over her, Ren!

She frantically looked around the barn, but he was nowhere to be seen. Ayano looked over at Kazuma but a wall of opaque wind was cutting her off from the battle. She swore under her breath and grabbed Enraiha tighter, realising her hands were shaking.

- Ayano…

A light trembling voice called. Ayano froze on the spot. Her breathing sped up as her heart pounded in her chest. She slowly lifted her head to find Bernhardt floating just under the high ceiling, Ren firmly held in one arm, a blade in the other one. Ayano's breath caught in her throat. A sly smile appeared on Bernhardt's face as he put the dagger against Ren's neck, causing a thin line of blood to trickle down his skin.

Ayano caught on fire, completely. The flames roared around her, causing her scarlet hair to flail around her face uncontrollably. The fire caught onto the dry hay that littered the floor and soon the wood of the walls. In a matter of seconds, most of the barn was on flaming, but Ayano didn't care. She lifted Enraiha in front of her, her eyes blazing with fury. She yelled and jumped at him, forgetting the height and gravity, only caring about how she would impale the man. She reached his level and for half a second they looked at each other, amusement in one's eyes that only added oil to the fire burning in the others. She brought Enraiha down on him as he mouthed two words.

- Too late.

And everything crumbled. The barn fell to ashes, wood falling around them. The wind stopped and the fire vanished. The blade made on clean line and Ren's body feel to the ground. Ayano didn't care about where Bernhardt had gone to. She fell back to the ground, gravity becoming all too real again. She feel on her feet only to fall to her knees after. Enraiha fell from her hand, only a wooden sword again. Ayano rushed to Ren who was wheezing a few meters away.

- Ren! She squeaked, a ball of emotion in her throat.

His gaze was lost somewhere over her shoulder, his green irises turning a milky shade of moss.

- No, no, Ren! Ayano almost screamed.

She put both her hands over the gash on the boy's neck but blood still spilled between her fingers, adding itself to the pool that had already formed around Ren. Panic filled Ayano as she saw his shoulders slump and his head roll to the side.

- No! Ren! She yelled, her voice full of emotion.

She felt as though a knife had been plunged into her entrails, her heart being torn out of her chest. Her hands closed around Ren shirt as she sobbed into it, tears running down her cheek.

- No, no… She whimpered

She could feel his heart beat faintly, almost ghostly. And stop.

- No!

The yelled escaped her lips. She covered her face with her hands, not baring the sight of Ren's limp body anymore. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably, sobs making it tremble.

- Ayano?

Her breath caught in her throat. Kazuma. She spun around to see him standing with his arms at his sides, a horrible expression painted across his face. The tornado had disappeared and he stood there almost child likely, not understanding what had happened, what had gone wrong.

- Is Ren …

He didn't finish his sentence that the tip of a sword tore through his black shirt. He looked down at it, stunned. A red circle slowly formed around it and grew by the second. Ayano could only watch, petrified in horror, as his expression went blank and his knees buckled and he fell to the ground, lifeless. A soundless scream echoed in her head as Lapis extracted her sword from Kazuma's back with a horrid sound of suction.

- No, no, no… She whispered to herself

She waited, hopping he'd get back up and tear her to pieces, hopping this was all a joke on his behalf.

- Kazuma? Her voice trembled.

A small smile tugged at Lapis's lips, incredibly small, but incredibly real.

- He's dead.

Ayano didn't need to turn around to know Bernhardt was standing behind her, a smug expression pulling at his fine traits. Her blood covered hands trembled at her sides. Ayano slowly got to her feet, pushing down a sob, but didn't turn around.

- Why? She asks, her voice devoid of all emotion. Why are you doing this?

Bernhardt chuckled slightly.

- Why? Simply because I can!

His chuckle turned into a devilish laugh, echoing through the rubble of what was a barn only moments ago. Ayano's fists clenched and teeth gritted, but she did not move. She heard steps behind her and a violent kick in the back of the knees made her fall to the ground. Another kick, this time in the side, made her turn onto her back, her scarlet hair blackened with sot creating a cloud around her pale face. When Bernhardt bent over her and set a bloodied dagger against her neck, she didn't scream. Instead, she looked him straight in the eyes, showing a fearless expression.

- Not afraid to die, are we? Asked Bernhardt, visibly disappointed she wasn't going to scream.

Ayano kept her lips tightly together, afraid she might grant his wish is she opened it.

- Too bad, I would finished you off faster, he said. Lapis!

Ayano turned her head towards the Cui Ling imitation, only to watch in horror as Lapis picked up Enraiha.

- Now watch my dear Ayano… Bernhardt whispered to her ear, making a shiver run up her spine.

Lapis held Enraiha in both her thin white hands. She lifted it, almost ceremoniously and brought it down, snapping it over her knee like a twig. An incredibly bright white light exploded in the center of the barn, coming from the shattered pieces of what had been Enraiha. Ayano shut her eyes, blinded. But the worst was not what was seen, but what was heard. Ayano couldn't contain a horrid scream as her soul shattered like the sword, both intertwined too deeply. Her entrails burned and she could feel it, the heat, the burning fire inside of her, scorching her insides, working its way out, but it didn't hurt. Nothing hurt. She couldn't feel anything, just a weight on her shoulders, a pressure.

- Ayano! A faint voice called her from far away. Ayano, wake up!

The voice made itself more insisting, beating loud at her ears, or maybe that was her heart. The pressure on her shoulders became harder, shaking her viciously back and forth. Ayano wrenched her eyes open, fearing the sight of her beloved sword and companions littering the floor of the barn, but she found Kazuma, a worried expression sunken deep into his eyes, bent over her and shaking her violently. Ayano stopped screaming, her heart still beating incontrollable in her chest. She sat up in her bed and passed a shaking hand over her face.

- Ka… Kazuma... I… Ayano started, but burst into tears.

The sob she had pushed down jumped back up her throat and she hid her face in her hands. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably at tears ran down her cheeks. Strong arms surrounded her and she looked up to find Kazuma sitting beside her on the bed, holding her tightly. Her breath caught in her throat but her tears kept falling freely. She looked up at Kazuma, surprised at his actions. He just looked down at her frail form in him strong arms, how innocent she was sometimes, how scared she could get, and all these things he forgot when she was dancing with danger. How beautiful she was…

- It was just a dream… He whispered into her scarlet hair.

She took a shaky breath and gave into his embrace, leaning onto his chest. How many times had she wanted to do that? To listen to his heart beat bounce a rhythm against his rib cage, to feel his arms around her, to have him whisper sweet words to her ear… She looked up at him, eyes sparkling with tears.

- How did you know? She asked in a small voice.

- I had a feeling you were in trouble, flew here as fast as I could.

Ayano then noticed he was only wearing his boxers and a black t-shirt thrown on at the speed of light. His hair was all tousled, making him look younger, like a black haired version of Ren. She blushed a dark crimson which made Kazuma's lips pull into a smile. He pulled her in closer and she set her head against his chest.

- You died in the dream, she told him in a breath.

He smiled.

- You won't get rid of me that easily…

**_First fan-fic! please R&R :D_**


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